Only You
by xxKiddxx
Summary: Sakura knew in the back of her mind that the blond would always have full faith in her and her abilities, but she never knew his faith extended this far; leaving her with a burden that he only saw her capable of carrying. "You're the only one that can do this Sakura-chan."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : Well, look at this: my first one-shot! This is what happens when a NaruSaku fan does not receive the ending she was counting on. This is in a world where the SasuSaku pairing did not happen and Sarada was not born, so please don't criticize it too much. It's just my own alternate ending you could say, and I was always curious with this idea. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and, right now, this is only intended to be a one-shot only.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto**

* * *

"Hokage-sama!"

The woman heard the voice loud and clear as the doors to the office sprung open- _her_ office. Her dull, emerald orbs remained locked on the paperwork in front of her, forgetting that it was her the voice was calling for. The name still hadn't registered with the woman even after so long; she was so unfitting for the title.

"Hokage-sama," the voice called once again, obviously exhausted by the tone of her voice.

The woman slowly glanced up at the owner of the voice standing by the entrance of her office. Her duIl, emerald orbs gazed upon a young woman that she instantly recognized from her administration department a floor below. She gave the woman a soft smile, acknowledging her presence, and gave her a slight nod as a signal for her to continue on to her dire announcement.

"It's Bolt..." The woman breathed out cautiously, trying her best not to invoke the temper of the pink-haired leader. "...He's missing... again..."

The woman let out an exhausted sigh as the words reached her ears, hearing them too frequently in the past month. Her nimble fingers silently placed the pen in her hand on top of the papers directly in front of her, and she leaned back in her chair as her hands ran through her long, pink locks. She inhaled a deep breath as she pushed herself to return sitting up straight, looking upon the woman who was waiting patiently for her next move.

"Do not worry," She said with a small smile, "I'll take care of it right now."

"Hai, Hokage-sama." The woman said softly as she exited quickly right after giving her a polite bow.

Once the door was firmly shut, the pink-haired woman let out a frustrated growl and buried her face within the comfort of her own hands. Her elbows were propped sternly on the large desk in front of her, seemingly secure enough to hold the weight of her own head. Wiping her face slowly, the pinkette gradually lifted her face out of her hands and remained staring at the door adjacent from her.

She let out a frustrated growl and firmly gripped the sides of her chair. "You certainly didn't make this easy for me." She said aloud, speaking to a particular person in mind. "It's not exactly what you would call a walk in the park." She lifted herself out of the chair and began to make her way over to the large window that was placed behind her.

She roughly grabbed the side of the window and flung it open a little too roughly for its liking. It smashed violently against the holds of its frame, almost enough force to cause it to snap, but it clutched onto the hinges and remained slightly intact.

The pinkette leaned out of the window, gazing up the village that was pushed upon her to lead suddenly, as she concentrated on spotting a blur of a very familiar color of orange.

Five years before, the pink-woman would have never have thought to find herself in this position, a village looking up to her to lead with a child gazing upon her for security: a total game plan changer. Even at the time during it all, she would have never expected the blond to trust her with his beloved dream and the care of his first child- all of which was planned without her knowledge.

But, even as the years passed by, she felt wrong obtaining this level of respect and duties based on the simple fact that he said she should- he deserved this, not her. This was his childhood dream, yet she was the one living it- not him. Ironically enough, that was why she decided to take on the position; his dream could not die like he had, so she carried it on out of love and respect for him.

Besides, he believed she was the only who could do it; he had enough faith in her that it gave her the courage she needed to wear the hat after a few weeks since he was declared dead.

* * *

_"...In the unfortunate situation that my wife and I should pass, first and foremost, I leave..."_

_There was a pause as Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly at the name written on the paper, of which had been legally approved by the past Hokage, Naruto, as well as few others, and slowly glanced up at the room of faces that were waiting for him to continue. He scanned around the room that was full of council members and the Hokage's closest friends, searching for a specific set of emerald orbs that made it very clear that she did not wish to be there in the first place._

_And it was true, Sakura had been very explicit when she spoke to Shikamaru the day prior about her reluctance to hear her friend's last words. She had not spoken to the blond Hokage in almost a year, no longer meaning any type of significance to the man, so she found it unnecessary for her to hear what his parting words. She would grieve privately in her own home, not in a room full of individuals that had a far better reason to cry compared to the woman's. But, unlike her stubborn nature, the pinkette had given into the advise given by the black-haired male and made her way to the conference room, taking a seat in the furthest corner._

_After several moments over searching, the Nara finally managed to spot the pinkette in her hiding spot and locked in on her emerald orbs, giving the woman some sort of warning of what was to come._

_Clearing his throat, Shikarmaru broke his gaze off the woman and turned to face the rest of the waiting eyes before him. "...Haruno, Sakura as the primary caretaker for my son Uzumaki, Bolt and my successor for the position of the Hokage..."_

_Of course there was more to it but that was all the pinkette needed to zone everything else out. She stood rigid at the sound of her name being voiced along with a responsibility that didn't quite line up. It had to be some sick joke, that was the only reasonable answer she could find as an explanation to what was just announced._

_Naruto wanted her to carry on his dream and raise his child..._

_She felt everyone's eyes begin to move to her hiding spot in the back of the room, beyond astonished just like she was, and her face began to warm up at an profound rate. She found herself unable to move but once her name was called again, her head snapped in the direction of the man reading the papers._

_"And, Sakura..." Shikamaru said, glancing back up at the woman whose attention was now solely fixed on him. He looked back down at the paper fixed in his hand and continued to read the blond's parting message to the pinkette. "I'm sorry, for everything."_

_Sakura's eyes began to tear up slightly at the words reaching her ears, no longer coming from Shikamaru's voice anymore._

_"I'm sorry for giving up on you. _

_I'm sorry for leaving you on your own. _

_I__'m sorry for allowing you to fall._

_ I'm sorry I left you to fight on your own. _

_Sakura-chan, I'm so sorry."_

_The pinkette no longer tried to keep up the façade she put on for everyone, and even for herself at times. She allowed her usually well composed image to crumble right before the highest members in the village, failing to care for privacy or how they viewed her any longer. And With tears streaming down her face, Sakura gradually rose from her seat and began to walk towards the front of the room._

_"Sakura-chan, you're the only the can do this. You're the only that can care for Bolt with the same amount of love and stern fist his parents had. You're the only one that can care for the village with same level-head and caring nature that I know you are capable of. You're the only that can do it, Sakura-chan. I know it's a lot to ask for, and I finally understand all of the sacrifices you've made on my behave, but please."_

_The pinkette stood in front of Shikamaru, staring at him wide-eyed as he continued to read the blond's last words to her. She felt weak, unable to speak nor hold her own weight. She could not cease the tears that kept on falling despite all of the stares she felt directed on her back. And she certainly could not hold back the loud sob that was growing stronger in her throat, ready to emerge at any moment._

_"For I know it's too late for a lot of things, and I cannot make up all my wrongs against you... but I can promise you that you're the only capable for this job and I cannot not trust no one else to carry this responsibility."_

_She went to inhale a shaky breath but then the woman broke. The sob she had been trying her best to fight emerged loudly from her petite frame and it echoed along the walls that confined it in. Her whole body began to shake uncontrollably, and she dropped as she her legs found themselves unable to carry her weight any longer._

_She looked pathetic. The site was pitiful and she knew it but what could she do? Everyone had always said that the Haruno had transformed into a broken woman and now her image had finally caught up to her reputation._

_Allowing the woman to grieve, no one moved to stop the woman who was violently sobbing on the ground in front of Shikamaru's feet- not even the black-haired male himself. But he did not move because of a different reason, he had to finish reading on behalf of his deceased friend and for the sake of the woman, she had to hear what was left._

_"You're the only one, Sakura-chan." She heard his voice whisper to her. "And if anyone dares to oppose against my last wish they will be disrespecting the seventh Hokage directly, and that is stated here for all to be a witness of. You, Sakura Haruno, are the only I know capable of this. You're the only one, Sakura-chan..."_

_Shikamaru paused for a slight moment as he read the last line in his head, his eyes growing immensely soft at the words. "You have always been the only one, Sakura-chan... You have always been the one... You are the one, Sakura-chan, and I'm sorry..."_

_The woman's sobs ceased as the Nara spoke the last words that were written on the paper, the last words that Naruto had intended for the pinkette to hear. Her tears remained falling at an exponential rate and she clutched her side with an arm as she violently pounded on the ground with the other, unable to provide a sufficient outlet to the pain the was racking through her body._

_Shikamaru slowly moved to kneel next to the woman, his eyes full of empathy for her life of unfortunate events. As soon as she sensed his presence she moved and clutched onto him, another round of sobs uncontrollably emerging from her lips._

_"I'm sorry, Sakura." Shikamaru whispered to her softly, wrapping his arms around her broken image. "You were always the one, we all knew that." His voice wasn't loud enough for the others to hear but the pinkette heard it loud and clear. His voice invading her thoughts without a pause._

**_"You have always been the one.."_**

* * *

"Oh, I'm going to kill this boy when I see him." Sakura huffed in annoyance as she continued to gaze upon the village.

Just as she was about to turn away from the view the window granted over the village she spotted a blur of yellow and orange moving quickly through the streets towards the direction of the Uzumaki compound which she now called home. Her emerald eyes squinted slightly as she watched the familiar colors began to near their home, only about two blocks away from the destination.

"I'm going to get him." Sakura grumbled as she proceeded to tie her hair into a tight ponytail. She gripped onto the sides of the window pane and hoisted herself to balance on top of the frame. She remained there for a few moments, remaining extremely quiet, until she used the frame as an extra push and darted off into the village, moving quickly from roof top to roof top.

Sakura wasn't as fast as Naruto, who was said to be faster than the fourth Hokage himself, but she was damn near close it. She had grown stronger over the years and even the villagers had to admit that her speed was unlike any other shinobi, besides the seventh and fourth Hokage of course. Even Bolt had to admit that his guardian's speed was admirable- but he would never say it to her directly. So, just as the young boy turned on the street of his compound the pinkette stood waiting for him, hands placed on her hips and a scowl on her usually pleasant features.

Failing to notice the pinkette waiting for his arrival, Bolt quickly turned on the street and ran as fast as he could towards his home. He glanced back behind him to make sure he wasn't followed, but was caught off guard as he ran into something that was blocking the passage way to his home.

"Oi-" Bolt yelled as he felt the initial contact, "What the he-" His voice quickly died out as he looked up at the pink-woman before him, her face glaring down at his smaller figure.

"S-Sakura, I was just-"

"Cutting class again?" She interrupted with a scowl. Her large emerald eyes stared at the boy sternly causing him to avoid her gaze. "How do you expect to graduate the academy when you keep doing things like this?"

Bolt couldn't help but let out a loud laugh which he then tried to cover up quickly with a series of fake coughs. "Ne, we both know I'm still going to graduate, Sakura-chan.

"That's not the point, Bolt." The woman hissed as she brought her face closer to the boy's. "You cannot keep on breaking the rules and not expect any consequnces."

"Why? Cause they're your rules?" Bolt snapped in reply, glaring back at the woman.

Sakura gritted her teeth, trying her best to restrain herself from hitting the boy in public. She roughly grabbed him by his ear and began to make her way back to the Hokage's office, ignoring his cries and pleas for her to release him.

"Ow! Sakura-chan, I was joking- ow!"

Sakura ignored the boy and continued to yank on the his ear, demanding for him to follow along. "You want to be a smart ass, huh?" She mumbled, quiet enough so only her adopted son could hear her. "Now, you'll get to spend the rest of the year with me as I boringly go through those stacks of paperwork on your father's desk."

"You're joking, right?" Bolt asked as he obeyed to the direction the pinkette pulled him in. He couldn't stand the dull routine the pinkette went through when dealing with paperwork, it drove him mad and made him very irritable. He had spent a day with her once and it was one of the top five worst experiences he has been through so far. "Sakura-chan, don't you think that is a little too far-"

"No," she gritted throught her teeth, giving the boy's ear another hard pull, "since you don't want to go to school, I won't force you but you are not going to wander the village and do whatever you please."

Bolt sent a glare in the woman's direction that went unnoticed and let out a loud huff in annoyance. Sakura could never simply hit him and let by gones be bygones like normal parents, she always made a huge lesson out of everything and found the most creative ways to punish the young boy. He was only eleven years old but he was positive that none of the other children his ages ever went through a punishment like he had; he could make a bet that they would not last an hour with a parent like his Sakura-chan.

* * *

_"Oi, Shikamaru, what if he doesn't want to live with me? What would we do then?" The pinkette asked the dark-haired male, gazing upon him nervously as they stood before a rather large door._

_"He has no other choice, Sakura." The man responded without even turning to the woman next to him._

_"But, we can't force him to live with me." She interjected, a steady feeling of nervousness rising in her gut. "Wouldn't that be wrong?"_

_Now the man finally turned to glance at the pinkette on his right side. Her emerald eyes gazed up at him with a certain emotion behind them that he was uncertain of; fear, maybe, or even a sense of longing. Her already petite frame seemed weak, as if she was not getting enough nutrients, and there were bags under her eyes from a lack of sleep. She fiddled with her thumbs nervously like a child would, and kept avoiding Shikamaru's worried expression._

_"You haven't been taking care of yourself?" Even though it was posed as a question the pinkette knew it was more intended as a statement, an observation to her disheveled appearance._

_"It has been rough lately, but-"_

_"Sakura, if you cannot do this-"_

_Now it was the pinkette's turn to interrupt the man. "No," She said sternly with a new found courage, "I can handle it. I just had to grieve, Shikamaru, that is all."_

_The man nodded at the woman, not completely convinced by her words, and the proceeded to knock on the large wooden door in front of them. They waited several moments before a woman that resembled their deceased friend profoundly opened the door._

_"Hanabi," Shikamaru addressed the woman with a slight smile, "How is he?"_

_The young woman gave a sad smile and shook her as a sign to let the man know that the boy was not doing so well. "He hasn't spoken to anyone," she informed the dark-haired man, not paying much mind to the pinkette, "he just sits in his room and stares at the wall. He rarely eats, someone has to force him to, and I don't think he has been sleeping either."_

_Sakura shook her head as she let out a light, bitter scoff that went unnoticed by those around her. The boy was grieving in a way much like her own, maybe they would get along after all._

_"But, come in," Hanabi said as she made room for them to enter her home, eyeing the pinkette suspiciously, "I'll take you to him."_

_The pinkette could sense the cold shoulder the young Hyuuga was giving her, but she did not pay much mind to it. She knew Hanabi was there when Naruto's last words were read out loud, especially the ones intended for the pinkette, and she knew she wasn't exactly ecstatic to hear her brother-in-law confess to his true love how she was 'the one'. To be honest, the pink-haired woman had been facing a lot of hostility after the meeting whether it be in regards to her newly inherited position or her desire to raise Bolt as the seventh Hokage intended for her to; but, Sakura was not the one to give the negatives much attention, and she kept on doing what was requested of her from the deceased blond whether they agreed with it or not._

_Hanabi lead them- or more like lead Shikamaru to the room where her nephew was staying as the pinkette followed them a few feet behind. After a few moments they reached a door which Hanabi enter without even bothering to knock. Shikamaru followed the woman in steadily while Sakura entered the room more timidly, instantly seeing the blond mop of hair that was facing the wall across from them with his back towards the door._

_"Bolt," Hanabi whispered softly, "you have some visitors here for you."_

_Sakura stared at the small boy with wide eyes, he had to be only six years old but he looked so much bigger than the last time she had seen him. Subconsciously, the woman began to take small steps in the direction of the boy as a million and one thoughts spiraled in her mind. _

_She was scared. That's right, Sakura Haruno was terrified of this small child. This was a living reminder of all the could have been; a reminder of someone that she loved so deeply but never told; a reminder of all the wrong decisions she made in her years. Yet, as she continued to near closer, she felt compelled to protect the boy and care for him. Maybe this was her second chance to make things right. She hadn't done it right the first time with Naruto, but maybe she could make it up to him through the boy. Maybe she could love this boy unconditionally like he had loved her._

_The pinkette stood right behind the blond boy and tapped his shoulder softly, causing him to look up at her with his hollow blue eyes. She held her breath for a moment, noticing the striking resemblance to his deceased father, and waited several moments before exhaling again._

_Remembering her slightly from his previous years, the boy stared up at the woman as he studied her intently. He noted her hallow, emerald orbs much like his and the bags under them. He saw how disheveled she looked and how overwhelming skinny she looked in her baggy clothing, as if it was not meant for her to be that weight. And for the first time, Bolt finally believed someone was going through it as bad as he was._

_"May I sit with you?" She asked him softly, knocking him out of his train of thought._

_The young blond blinked a few times as if he was registering the question asked and then slowly nodded, moving over on the bed for her to sit down._

_The pinkette slowly adjusted herself to sit next to the boy and awkwardly remained like that, casting glances at the boy ever so often. He gazed sadly upon the wall, his expression was lifeless almost, and his eyes seemed as tired as the emerald ones of the pink haired woman next to him. After the several time of feeling her stare upon him, Bolt turned his head slightly to make eye contact with the woman. Their sad, tired eyes stared at one another with an understanding look of sympathy, one that neither had come across yet._

_"Do you remember me, Bolt?" Sakura asked softly, earning a nod from the said child. _

_"Sakura-chan." He whispered quietly, his eyes still locked on her own._

_Sakura gave a sad smile at the name, one that was only ever used by her favorite blond. To hear the name once again, with the same tenderness her companion used to call her with, brought tears to resonate within the corners of her eyes. The pinkette quickly wiped them away with the back of her hand and broke away from the child's holding gaze._

_However, Bolt remained still with his eyes locked on the woman, watching her as she tried her best to keep herself whole in front of him. He saw how broken she was though, despite her efforts to hold back the pain she was experiencing; and, unlike any other person he came across, the pinkette's grief matched his own in ways he didn't think possible._

_"Are you hurting, Sakura-chan?"_

_The boy's small voice caused the woman to look up at him once again with a sudden quickness. The question had caught her off guard; but, as she stared into his orbs that were full of pain, she found herself giving him a wavering smile as she nodded slowly with tears now on the brink of falling upon her face for the millionth time that week._

_Bolt watched the woman slowly break down in front of him and, suddenly, he could not fight off his own tears that were suddenly falling once more. He tried to wipe them away from his face roughly but the woman grabbed his palms and enveloped him in an unexpected hug._

_His body grew rigid under her warm embrace, unsure of how to react to the pinkette's sudden closeness. She gripped onto him tightly, refusing to part until he returned the action, and after several moments he did. Bolt gradually lifted his shaky arms and hesitantly wrapped them around the woman's back. Feeling his small arms around, Sakura gave Bolt another tight squeeze, her emerald eyes shut tightly._

_"I'll be here for you, Bolt," the pinkette whispered to him, causing his eyes to widen at the sound of her voice, "From here on out, I'll always be here for you."_

_Bolt's wide, blue eyes stared at the pink locks in awe, something that seemed so extraordinary to him. And soon, without any fighting it, Bolt's vision became blurry with tears and he began crying hysterically._

_The pinkette remained unfazed by the child's break down and continued to hold him tightly to her chest. "I got you, okay?" She whispered to him tenderly, her own vision becoming cluttered with tears. "I promise, Bolt, you'll have me for a long time."_

* * *

"Bolt, you're in trouble again?" The Nara laughed lightly as he watched the pinkette come into view with the blond boy, grabbing him by the ear roughly.

"It's not my fault-"

"Yes it is," Sakura snapped as she rolled her emerald eyes at the boy. "Don't let him fool you, Shikamaru."

They came to a halt as they came closer to the man's desk positioned outside of the Hokage's office. He looked up at the duo with a slight smirk upon and his features, shaking his head disapprovingly at the young boy. "You managed to escape again?" He asked Bolt.

Bolt's baby blue eyes lit up mischievously as he did his best to give a nod from his position. "You know I cannot stay in there for long." He replied with a devilish smirk.

"Do not rile him up, Shikamaru," Sakura chastised with a scowl, "now he has to stay with me until he decides he wants to stay in school."

Leaning back in his chair, Shikamaru shook his head as she gazed at the boy. "What does that mean? Paperwork?"

Bolt gave a clearly unhappy frown as his eyes softened slightly. "Yes, you know I hate that stuff. The Hokage's job is so boring!"

"Well, now you have to stay with me all day until you learn to behave," Sakura snapped as she gave the boy's ear another hard tug. "We will see you later Shikamaru." The pinkette gave a slight wave to the man as she lead the boy into the office closing the door behind them but not before Bolt mouthed the words _'help me'_ to man who sat at his desk, watching them amusedly.

Once the heavy door shut completely the pinkette released the blond with a slight shove, causing him to stumble a little before rubbing his ears tenderly.

"Ya know, Sakura-chan," He said as he watched her take a seat behind her desk, "this can be defined as child abuse."

The pinkette scoffed in response and looked up at the child with an amused smirk. "I'm sure some parents do much worse."

"I guess," he sighed as he navigated around the large desk and lowered himself to sit right next to her legs, "but there has to be something seriously illegal with your punishments."

"How so?" Sakura asked with a now raised brow.

"They are too creative," He admitted as he rested his head upon her finely shaped legs. "Half the stuff you do should not be aloud."

The pink-haired woman laughed a loud. "Like what?"

"The time you made me hang outside the window for an hour." He nodded towards the large window in back of them.

"That was more training than a punishment!" She argued as she continued to go through the large stack of papers in front of her.

The blond boy let out a restrained laugh. "I could have died!" He exclaimed as he looked at the woman with a bewildered look. "What if I would've fell?"

"You wouldn't of." She stated simply. "Have I ever let you fall?"

"No," Bolt replied with a small smile on his features as he turned the gaze back onto the ground. "But still, Sakura-chan. That isn't normal."

Sakura let out a heart felt laugh as she ruffled his blond locks fondly. "I love you, Bolt, you know that?"

"I know, Sakura-chan." He said contently as he moved his head closer to her hand, with his eyes closed peacefully. "I love you too." They entered a peaceful silence, neither wanting to ruin their tranquil state.

That was what Bolt loved the most about his Sakura-chan; even when she was angry at him moments before she got over it in the matter of several seconds and made sure he knew that she still loved him. She made sure her love was never over-looked even when he did things she wasn't too happy with. She provided him with a home that he once thought was impossible after his parents death.

Dropping whatever she was doing, the pinkette made sure she was always there for the young boy and he could not remember a time when she disappointed him by failing to show up somewhere. Even when he thought she would not be able to make something, his Sakura-chan managed to work something out so she could attend whatever important event he desired for her to be at- and she was even there when he didn't want her to come.

The pinkette began to hum softly, causing the blond boy to slowly drift in and out of sleep. He rubbed his head against her leg, signaling for her to play with his hair again. She obliged to his request with a laugh and began running her fingers through his locks soothingly. A pleasant smile appeared on his face and he let out a soft 'hm' in content.

"Sakura-chan," He called her softly, earning a slight 'huh' in reply. "Can a graduate the academy early?"

Sakura looked down at the half-asleep child with her brows furrowed. "Why, Bolt? You want to leave your friends?"

Bolt remained still with his eyes closed. "I'm closer to the older kids, and I know I can pass the exam this year. You know I can too."

"I know," Sakura replied softly. The boy hade been receiving training from the top shinobi in their village at a very early age. Having Hokage's as your parents certainly did have its own perks at times. "But, are you sure you want to do this?"

The pinkette felt the boy nod against her leg. "I'm positive, Sakura-chan." He whispered.

"I'll see what I can work out for you."

"I know you can do it," Bolt replied with a tired smile, "no one would dare say no to you, Sakura-chan. You'll just brake their bones."

Sakura laughed at the sleeping boy and shook her head with an amused smirk. He was too much for her at times, too much like his father in his genin days. He was always up doing something mischievously no good, but his heart was bigger than anyone she knew. She loved the boy like he was her own, and as the years passed by since his parents' death she began to understand Naruto's parting words more clearly.

She was the only one that could have done this.

She was the only one that would have loved Bolt so deeply. She was the only one that would have made sure that Bolt was loved and always in check. She was the only one who could have managed these responsibilities so well, even better than the seventh himself at times.

And, somehow, Naruto knew that she was the only one that needed the child as much as he needed a loving guardian. Bolt had saved the pinkette from darkness and she had done the same for him as well; it was as if this child was made to belong specifically in her care.

Just like his father some time ago, Bolt needed no one but his Sakura-chan.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N : So, I am kind of obsessed with the scenario that I created in my one-shot and this happened as a result. I know Mother's Day was little over a week ago but I used it as a prompt almost for this other little one-shot. AND- I decided to make this just a set of drabbles with Bolt and Sakura in my own little universe. Review if you want- I'll even take prompts if you guys want to give me some. But, I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own**

* * *

"So, as the fourth shinobi world war concluded, your father- Bolt... Bolt!"

The blond-haired boy looked up at his aunt who was staring at him with a slight scowl on her face. Her pale eyes gazed upon her nephew and her hands were rested upon the sides of her hips, a warning to the boy that she was annoyed.

With a sigh, Bolt straightened himself in his chair and muttered an apology to the woman. "Sorry, Obasan."

"I know History is not your favorite, Bolt, but you are extremely unfocused today." She said to the boy as she moved to crouch in front of his make-shift desk. She propped her elbows on the light wood and rested her chin within her hands. Giving the boy a small smile, Hanabi tilted her head slightly to the side. "What's distracting you, Bolt?"

Bolt gave the brown-haired woman a slight shrug as he left out a tired sigh. "I don't know, Obasan."

"Yes, you do," Hanabi retorted. "You can talk to me."

"I don't know," the blond-haired boy said as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "it's just that today is Mother's day."

"Yes it is, isn't Sakura-san taking you to see your mother?" Hanabi blinked.

"She is," Bolt replied, trying to clear up the initial confusion in his aunts face. "Once she gets home we are going to her grave, but that's not what is distracting me."

"What is it then?"

Bolt took a deep breath, his cerulean orbs scanning over the desk's surface as an attempt to avoid his aunt's pale gaze. "I wanted to get Sakura-chan something for Mother's day this year, but I don't know what to get her."

"Oh," Hanabi said slowly, coming to some sort of an understanding for the situation. Suddenly, her brows furrowed in confusion as she continued to stare at her nephew. "But why?"

"Because, Obasan," Bolt said with a slightly exasperated sigh, "Sakura-chan takes care of me and I never get her anything in return."

"I take care of you as well." Hanabi retorted.

"Yes, you do, Obasan, and I get you something for Mother's Day." Bolt chuckled as he gestured to his gift which sat on the counter in the kitchen. "But for Sakura-chan, I have never given her a gift for Mother's Day, and this year I want to- to show her that appreciate her, ya know?"

Hanabi nodded slightly in an understanding to the boy's reasoning.

Hearing Bolt wanting to get the woman a present for Mother's Day was unsettling to the Hyuga but she had to admit that the woman did deserve some sort of gift for all that she did. When it came to Bolt, the pinkette went above and beyond, doing anything to make him happy and ensure his safety; and, she was very selfless about it all- not expecting the child, or anyone for that matter, to view her as a mother or give her a gift on this day. She also made it her priority to make sure that Bolt took time to remember and visit his actual mother on this specific holiday.

Hanabi was not particularly fond of the pinkette, but she was grateful of how selfless she was when it came to this specific day- not letting Bolt forget his mother's memory. She was thankful for that and she could somewhat understand why Bolt would want to give her a gift.

"But I just don't know what to give her."

Hanabi gave the boy a slight nod. "Why don't you buy her weapons?"

"Ne, Obasan, Sakura-chan doesn't really need the weapons like that. She doesn't leave the village without body guards, and I don't even remember the last time she was in actual combat."

"Well, did you ask some of her friends?" Hanabi asked as she pressed her lips together in thought.

"Like who?" Bolt questioned with a slightly raised eyebrow. "Shikamaru and Ino?"

"Yeah," Hanabi responded, "you could ask them, they would know her better, don't you think?"

Bolt gave his aunt a blinding smile as he nodded. "Thanks, Obasan- I'm going to go right now to figure this out." He informed her as he lifted himself out of his seat and began to move quickly towards the front door of her home, attempting to be out of the door before she could stop him. "I'll see you later!"

* * *

Racing up the stairs of the Hokage Residence, Bolt moved through the building with a heightened speed in order to avoid being seen by a specific pinkette. He sprinted up the long flight of stairs, jumping two at a time, and released a loud huff as he reached the floor on which he assumed the dark-haired man would be residing.

Moving into the open lobby before his guardian's office, Bolt scanned the room with his cerulean orbs and could sense no form of life within the area. "Shikamaru?" He called as he moved towards the man's empty desk in front of the doors to the Hokage's office.

With a sigh, Bolt rested his hand upon the dark wood and glanced around at his surroundings once more. He could have sworn that Shikamaru was forced to be in the building for the majority of the morning before going home to spend the day with his wife and child. If he remembered correctly, Sakura had to beg the man to be here for some rather important reason that remained unknown to the blond boy.

Just as the blond was about to turn away, the door to his pinkette's office creaked opened, revealing a very exhausted looking Nara. A small smirk appeared on Bolt's face as he stared at the man as he sluggishly made his way to his desk with a stack of papers within his hands.

"Oi, Shikamaru, Sakura-chan has you doing paperwork?"

Looking up at the boy with a small, amused grin, Shikamaru gave a slight nod in response. "Unfortunately... she is lucky it's Mother's Day." He said as he took a seat behind his desk.

Bolt let out a soft chuckle. "She's not here, is she?"

The dark-haired male shook his head. "No, she went out to handle a few things within the village. Do you want me to find her for you?"

"No," Bolt said quickly, "no, I am actually trying to avoid her." Receiving a slight raise of the eyebrow, Bolt began to explain his purpose more thoroughly to the man. "I want to surprise her this year, Shikamaru."

"You want to surprise Sakura with a gift?"

"Yeah," Bolt said as he eyes lit up with excitement, "I wanted to get her something for Mother's Day this year."

Shikamaru nodded his head slightly in understanding as he leaned back in his chair, gazing over the young boy. "And you're here because you don't know what to get her."

"Exactly. This is why your the smartest in the village." Bolt grinned.

Shikarmaru released a slight laugh as he shook his head slightly. "Yeah, yeah, but I may not know how to answer this one for you. I'm not sure what Sakura would like, she's a very troublesome woman, and are you sure she would even be happy with you getting her something?. "

Bolt's playful expression was quickly washed into a slight frown in response to Shikamaru's reply. "She'll be fine... but, Shikarmaru, you are probably one of her closest friends- what do you mean you don't even know what she would like?"

"It's difficult to think of a gift for a woman that is content with what she has in her life now. I'm not sure what else she might want."

Bolt nodded slowly as he gradually came to understand what Shikamaru meant. "I guess your right," Bolt replied as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I just want to do something nice for her. She can be naggy and annoying at times but she loves me, and I just want to show her that I am thankful of what she does."

"I understand, Bolt." Shikamaru said with a gentle smile. "Maybe you should ask Ino, she would probably have a better idea of what Sakura would like."

"I think I will, thanks for the help, Shikamaru." Bolt said sarcastically with a playful smirk upon his features.

The dark-haired man gave the boy an eye roll as he waved slightly to him as he began to turn and leave they way he had entered. "Bye, Bolt."

Giving the man one last blinding grin, Bolt disappeared down the spiral stair case in a whirlwind of yellow, moving onto his next destination before time runs out.

* * *

"Bolt! What a surprise seeing you here!"

The blonde haired woman gazed at the younger boy with an overwhelming grin planted on her features. She had not seen the boy in over a week but the time apart felt like years to the woman.

Bolt being put in Sakura's care caused a relationship to blossom between the child and the elder woman that would not have formed into what it was if someone other than her pink-haired friend would have raised him. Having such a close knit bond with Sakura, Ino found herself constantly around the boy once the pinkette accepted full custody of the younger blond. She was more than willing to help out her friend with the child whenever she could, and she soon found herself immensely fond of the boy which would have not happened if the situation did not play out like it had.

"Hey, Ino," Bolt said with a smile that matched the woman's enthusiasm. "Did you get my flowers?"

Ino gave a nod as her hands gravitated towards the bouquet of flowers that were arranged nicely in the glass vase upon the counter. She subconsciously began to rearrange the flowers once more as she offered the boy a smile. "Yes, I did. They are lovely."

"Did Sakura pick them out for you when I wasn't here?" She teased.

"No!" Bolt exclaimed as her eye brows furrowed slightly at the accusation. "I picked these out myself."

Ino could not help but give the blond an amused smile as propped her elbows upon the wooden surface. "So, what brings you here, Bolt? Did you do something bad?"

Bolt's large, blue orbs made a dramatic roll as a small, contrasting grin appeared on his lips. "No, Ino, I came to ask for your opinion."

"On what?"

"Well," the boy began as he rested his elbows on the counter, mirroring the elder blonde's position, "I wanted to get Sakura-chan a gift, right- but I do not have a single clue on what it should be."

Ino's playful grin reduced slightly as she continued to study the child. "Now, Bolt... you know how she feels about Mother's day and-"

"I know, I know," Bolt huffed as he waved his hand as if he was swatting off what the woman had said. "I get what she's trying to do, Ino, I really do. But, I think I am old enough now to understand that she isn't my mother. She doesn't have to keep worrying that I will forget who my real parents are and replace their imagine with hers- I know the difference between the two."

"I understand that Bolt," Ino said with a slight sigh as she moved around the counter to comfort the younger blond who was becoming visibly agitated the more he spoke. "But, you know how Sakura is. She would blame herself if you were ever to forget what your mother looked like- or even worse, forget her completely."

"But, I wont." Bolt looked up at woman who was standing right before him. "She talks about them almost everyday- I don't think I could forget my parents even if I tried to."

Ino let out a soft laugh as she gazed tenderly at the blond boy, ruffling his hair fondly. "She's just trying to the right thing... for Hinata and you as well."

"I know," Bolt sighed, "but how will getting her a small gift change any of that? I get you a gift, I get Obasan a gift, I even get Tsunade-baachan a gift- so why does Sakura-chan make such a big deal over me getting her one?"

Ino gave the boy a defeated sigh and shrugged her shoulders slightly, not having a more thorough answer for the blond. She pulled Bolt into a tight hug and rested her chin upon his head. "That's just the way she is, Bolt. I guess she doesn't think it's right for her to receive one on this day." She tried again softly.

The young boy sigh audibly into the women's chest as he hugged her back. "Well.. I'm getting her one anyway- whether she likes it or not."

The blonde woman released the boy with a heartfelt chuckle. "If that's the case," she said as she held onto his shoulders, "I think you should do something for her instead of trying to buy her a gift."

"What do you mean? Like cook her dinner or something?" Bolt's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Exactly," Ino replied with a reassuring smile, "I'm sure she would love it and she will not bicker at you that much for it."

Bolt let out a light scoff in amusement as he nodded his head in a sign of understanding. "Thank you, Ino." He gave the woman another tight hug before turning on his heels and heading towards the exit with a quickened pace.

He reached the door and paused for a moment, looking back at the elder blonde who was watching him with a smile. "Ino, if she scolds me for this I am blaming you."

"If she does I'll take the blame for this one, Bolt." The woman laughed. "This will be the only time I'll ever cover for your antics, Bolt! Don't suddenly throw my name in the mix when ever you've been up to no good."

"Ino," He called with a devilish smirk upon his features, "when have I ever been up to no good?"

* * *

Sakura entered the door of her home with an exhausted sigh. She moved acrossed the threshold and slammed the door behind her, resting her back against it once it was shut. Her pink head laid upon the door's dark wood as she closed her tired, emerald orbs and let out a deep breath. She remained still in that position for several moments, allowing a moment of peaceful silence to wash over her, but as she actually took note of the lack of noise in her home caused her to think of the whereabouts of her favorite blond.

"Bolt?" She called as her eyes slowly fluttered open, her voice echoing through the large home.

She lifted herself off of the sturdy door and began to make her way into the large living room of their home. "Bolt?" She called again after receiving no answer.

Her large, emerald eyes searched for any sign of life within the room and once she declared it as deserted she moved onto the next area of the house: the kitchen. While moving into the next room, Sakura glanced at the papers that she held in her hand.

It had taken the majority of her day but the pinkette managed to accomplish what she had set out to do. Some of the shinobi that resided in the administrative department of the academy seemed reluctant in her proposal for the blond boy to graduate early like he wished to; and, of course, Bolt's lack of enthusiasm and restraint of his true abilities forged the differences in their opinions, but the woman managed to convince them eventually. His laziness and repeated actions to leave whenever he felt like it certainly did not help his cause, and Sakura had to make a number of promises to them that Bolt would show them in the upcoming week that his abilities were exceptional and that they were more than enough to allow him to graduate this year.

Even though it had took her a several hours, Sakura managed to get the boy what he wanted just like she always had- and like he said before, they would not dare to give the pinkette 'no' as their final answer.

Making her way into the next room, Sakura pushed open the swinging door that stood between the living room and the kitchen. Her eyes studied the area just as she had before and called out the blond's name much louder than before once she was met with the same empty result, annoyance evident in her tone. "Bolt."

Growing increasingly agitated, the pinkette began to storm through the kitchen and onto her next designation. "I swear," she mumbled to herself angrily, "if he is not home like I asked him to be I will-"

The pink haired woman cut her rant off short as she stepped foot into the dinning room, finding the boy that she was just huffing about. Her emerald eyes softened at the sight before her while the blond boy stood on the opposite side of the table waiting patiently for her arrival with an amused grin on his features. Laid out upon the large, burgundy table was a range of assorted dishes, several which she declared apart of her top ten favorite dishes, and two plates were positioned neatly across from one another. The aroma that emerged from the steamy food caused her mouth to water slightly and her stomach to growl suddenly in response which caused the younger boy to laugh.

"I'm guessing you haven't ate in a couple hours, Sakura-chan."

The pinkette shook her head as a soft smile dawned her lips. "I only had time for a small break feast- did you do all of this, Bolt?" She asked, gesturing towards the food laid out before them.

"Well," Bolt began as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I made the dango but everything else I picked up at your favorite restaurant."

Sakura's small smile began to grow into a blinding grin as she made her way over to the blond, enveloping him into a large hug once he was within reach. "That was very thoughtful of you, Bolt." She said as she rubbed his back in a circular motion. "But, you know you don't have to-"

"Ne, Sakura-chan." Bolt interrupted the pinkette as he pulled himself away from her hold. His blue orbs stared into her emerald ones with a pointed look. "I don't want to hear any of that _'You shouldn't do stuff for me 'cause I'm not your mother'_ nonsense. You don't have to keep forbidding me from getting you gifts and thanking you because you think I'm going to forget about her suddenly." He said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

The pink-haired gaped at the young boy in front of her, unable to answer his sudden address of her reluctance at him acknowledging her on Mother's Day.

"Honestly, Sakura-chan," Bolt continued as he subconsciously gave the woman an eye roll, his annoyance which had grown throughout the day at a maximum. "I know the difference between my actual mother and you. I still remember bits and pieces of her, and that isn't going to change just because I acknowledge you on Mother's Day as well."

Sakura's emerald orbs gazed sadly at the blond and then moved to stare at the floor. "I just don't want you to think of me higher than her- she loved you so much, Bolt, and it's not her fault she cannot be with you today."

"I understand that, Sakura-chan," Bolt sighed sadly, his voice softening slightly at the woman before him, "but you love me too, Sakura-chan... probably as much as she had-"

"No- I-... She-... A mother's love for her child is unparallel to anything else, Bolt," the pinkette tried to explain as she gently cupped Bolt's face within her hands. "I love you so much, but I cannot imagine how much love Hinata must have felt for you. She was your mother, I- ... I'm just your Sakura-chan."

"Why do you strip the title of a mother from yourself, Sakura-chan?" Bolt asked with a sad smile, his soft, blue eyes boring into her own. He wasn't sure what cause her to do it, maybe it was out of guilt and regret, but she was so avidly against the idea of deeming herself as a mother figure despite of everything she did for him on a daily basis. Bolt would not say it aloud, in respect of her detest for it, but he did think of his Sakura-chan as the closest thing he had to a mother- hell, she _was_ his second mother whether she liked to think of herself as that or not.

The pink-haired woman stared at the boy in her hands speechless, finding herself incapable of forming some sort of response to his question. Her mouth moved slightly in the next several moments, as if she was going to say something, but no words managed to successfully leave her lips, leaving the blond boy waiting for some kind of answer.

After not receiving a coherent response for several moments Bolt spoke again. "You're the closest thing I have to a mom, Sakura-chan." He said gently, trying not to upset the woman any more than he had already which was purely by accident. "I know you're not my real mom, and I'm not saying that I will start to call you '_mommy_' all of the sudden, but it won't hurt anyone if we accept the fact that you are the mother figure in my life."

"You've acted as my mother- and my father- for as long as I could remember, so please, Sakura-chan- please, stop thinking of yourself as less than what you are." Bolt gave the woman a sad smile, placing a hand over hers. "It's okay for us to realize that, Sakura-chan, it's not wrong."

Sakura's eyes began to water in despite of her attempts to prevent them from doing so, her lips mirrored Bolt's in a sad smile, and her hands remained on either side of the boy's cheeks. She gave the boy a shaky nod as she brought her lips down onto his forehead, planting a soft kiss. A single tear managed to slip down her face even though a small smile remain etched onto her lips; she closed her eyes as she rested her head upon Bolt's mop of blond, embracing him tightly.

"Thank you, Bolt." She whispered with her eyes remaining tightly shut.

More in a sign of relief than anything, Bolt allowed a smile to remain on his face as she hugged the pink-haired woman tenderly. "No, Sakura-chan," he spoke as he nuzzled his face into the soft cotton of her shirt, "thank you."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, I'm officially obsessed with the idea of Sakura raising Bolt. I cannot get this idea out of my head, and, to be honest, I'm probably going to end up writing a story for them once I finish the Unexpected One. This drabble is short but I had to write it. Hope you all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own.**

* * *

"Sakura-chan?"

Bolt ran down the stairs in hope to find the pink haired Hokage before she left for her meeting with the Kazekage. He jumped down the last few wooden steps and turned into the kitchen, hoping to find the woman there. His blue orbs gazed around the room and found nothing but clean, quiet appliances. The blond boy turned towards the living room and called for his guardian once more.

"Sakura-chan?"

Receiving another moment of silence for his answer, Bolt quickly moved through the kitchen into the living room and then proceeded to head out the door. As soon as he closed the door behind him, the blond boy jogged lightly out of the sanction of his compound and onto the streets of Konoha.

He knew she had a meeting with the Kazekage today but he was hoping he could catch her before she left. Today was his first mission out of the village, a simply escorting mission to a neighboring, small town, and Bolt wanted to say goodbye before he left. Maybe it was nerves or maybe he wanted her to say something to him before he set off- Bolt wasn't definite on why he wanted to see the pink haired Kage but he needed to.

After a few short minutes Bolt reached the building he was searching for and quickly climbed the stairs, moving two at a time. He quickly managed to arrive at the appropriate level and made his way towards the pinkette's office.

As he closed in on the office, he spotted a familiar mop of black hair before her desk and a small grin dawned his feature. "Oi, Shikamaru!"

The dark haired male glanced upward at the sound of his name and followed the blond boy as he stopped in front of his desk. "What happened, Bolt?" The man asked with a slight sigh.

"Woah, Shikamaru," Bolt said a bit taken back and the man's sullen mood, "what has your pants in a twist?"

The man gave a faint smile and let out a deep breath. "Rough morning, but what happened?"

The blond haired boy nodded slightly in an attempt of showing some kind of empathy. "Oh, I was just coming to see, Sakura-chan."

"Oh, you just missed her," Shikamaru informed him as he turned his gaze back down on the paperwork in front of him, "She just left with the Kazekage somewhere."

"Shit." Bolt cursed under his breath as he flared his nostrils with his next exhale. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and let out another defeated sigh. "Well, I guess I'll be going then. See ya, Shikamaru."

"Bye, Bolt." The man replied without bothering to look up from the paperwork.

Bolt decided that it was time to take his leave and start heading towards the gate for his mission. Even though he would have preferred to have seen her before he left, she would still be there by the time he came back- he didn't need her to see him off, maybe he was just being a needy.

Slowly, Bolt began to head back in the direction he had just arrived from several moments prior.

"Bolt."

The blue eyed boy paused and looked back at the man at the desk who was gazing at him with a slight grin on his face.

"Good luck on your mission today, I'm sure your parents would be proud."

Bolt's small frown gradually morphed into an ecstatic smile as the words left the Nara's mouth. He nodded enthusiastically in response and gave the man a blinding grin similar to his father's.

"Thank you, Shikamaru! I'm going to make them proud, just watch!" Bolt replied before spinning quickly on his heels and leaving a chuckling Shikamaru by himself.

The blond boy raced back down the large stair of the building and back onto the streets of Konoha. It was somewhat early in the large village so the streets were still barren for the most part, allowing the blond to run as wildly as he wanted with little obstacles. He sped towards the gate at a more lively pace, coming to the conclusion that he was not going to see the pinkette before his departure.

Truthfully, he was not sure if his team was even going to be at the gate just yet, it was a half an hour before they were designated to meet up. He knew his fellow teammates had a reputation for being late- especially his sensei Konohomaru- so he slightly slowed down his pace.

As he got closer to the gate Bolt reverted to a leisure walk as he spotted two figures waiting at his destination, chatting casually amongst themselves. His eye brows furrowed as he tried to make out the individuals from his distance but failed to do so. Realizing that it was not his teammates like he expected it to be, Bolt immediately recognized mops of auburn and pink as he neared the two.

The blond could not fight off the excited grin that emerged on his face as he gazed longingly at the duo. Not only did his Sakura-chan manage to see him off but she dragged the Kazekage along with her, and the boy had not seen his godfather in the longest time.

Unable to contain himself any longer, Bolt began to run towards the pair with a large grin engraved onto his features. "Sakura-chan!"

The woman looked up at the cry of her name and a bright smile morphed onto her features as she spotted the blond boy running to her. Bolt stopped himself right before the couple and looked up at them with an unrestricted smile. "I thought you weren't coming." He informed the pinkette as he turned his gaze on her.

"Oh, Bolt," Sakura laughed as she grabbed the boy into a tight hug, "that's such a stupid thing to think."

The blond boy's eye roll went unnoticed because his face was pressed into her shirt but he let out a soft chuckle as well. "Well, you were the one that disappeared this morning."

The pink haired woman released the boy and returned an eye roll as a small smirk remained on her lips. "I had to meet up with Gaara this morning upon his arrival, so that is not my fault- and say hello to your godfather, Bolt!" The woman scolded as she realized his lack of introduction to the man.

Bolt let out a light laugh as he turned to the Kazekage, a huge grin on his face. "Hello, Gaara-san," He said as he gave the man a polite bow.

The auburn-haired man dawned a small, amused smile as he watched the boy go through the gestures of the typical politically correct response that he taught him to do with much detest from the blond. "Bolt," He said causing the boy to look up at him, "it's so unlike you to stick to the formalities with me."

Bolt's grin increased tenfold as he stood up straight and gave the man a heartfelt laugh. "Sakura-chan said I needed to start greeting you like that since you are the Kazekage and whatever, but I don't think its going to last very long." He explained as her earned a slight scowl from the said woman. "How long are you staying for?" He asked as he gazed up at him with his large blue orbs, hoping the man was going to spend some time within the village before dashing back to Suna.

"A few days," Gaara replied, knowing the answer would please the boy, "Sakura and I have to sort out some things so it might take longer than usual."

Bolt gave the man a nod in response with his grin still present on his face. "Will you be staying with Shikamaru?"

"No, I will be staying at your compound for this visit."

The blond boy stared at the pinkette for several seconds before looking back at the man, his eyes wide with a childlike excitement that seemed to appear whenever his godfather came to visit. Sakura gave a nod to answer the boy's silent question that he gave as he stared at her in a blissful surprise.

"You want to spar once I get back tomorrow, old man?" Bolt asked playfully, a mischievous expression on his face.

The auburn haired cracked another small smile at the blond's response and gave a nod in reply. "I would like to see your progress, but do not think I will go easy on you like I did last time."

"Oh, please!" Bolt exclaimed as he waved off the man's statement. "You were taking it easy on me? I was taking it easy on you! I knew how mad Sakura-chan would be if I injured the _Kazekage_."

This time it was the pinkette who laughed in response. "I would be more than ecstatic if you gave the almighty Kazekage a beating, Bolt." She laughed as the auburn haired man gazed at her in what could be described as amusement.

Picking up on the chakra signatures coming towards them, Sakura squatted to Bolt's height and gave him a tender smile. "Bolt, you know that your parents would be so proud of you, and I am as well." She said softly as she cupped his face in her hands, her thumb running over the whisker marks on his cheeks. "Your going to do just fine today."

Bolt gently placed his hand over the pinkette's in a show of affection and nodded silently in her hands.

Sakura offered the blond another small smile and gazed into his blue eyes which were identical to his father's. "I'll be here when you come back, okay?"

"Promise?"

"Promise." The pinkette smiled.

Hearing the lone word, Bolt realized the reason behind his desire to seek out the pinkette. At the moment, Bolt didn't care if it made him appear soft and sensitive, but he needed the reassurance that his Sakura-chan provided him with. She was his safety blanket, providing the comfort and security he needed at any given time. She gave him the confidence that he sometimes lacked within himself, and when everyone else doubted him she was one who placed her bets on him every single time. Eventually, Bolt knew he would grow out of his dependence for the woman but at his age she was all he needed.

Feeling the nerves in his body cease to nothing, Bolt returned the smile. "Sakura-chan."

"Yes, Bolt?" The woman smiled as she released his face from her hold.

Bolt took a deep breath and gave her a more confident grin, feeling ten times more assured about the mission than he had earlier in the morning. He embraced her in a sudden hug, causing her to be in shock for a moment, and gave her a tight squeeze. "Thank you."


End file.
